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The band has announced that it will perform on NBC’s Late Night With Seth Meyers on Wednesday, August 24th. It is part of the band’s 35th anniversary celebration.
The band will perform its new single ‘Monster at the End’ during its debut appearance on the program. The song is the latest song to be released from the band’s latest album For All Kings, which was released earlier this year via Megaforce Records. The song will start hitting radio stations nationwide next Tuesday, August 16th.

Early next month Anthrax will join Death Angel and fellow “Big Four” band Slayer for a North American fall tour. That tour launches Friday, September 9th in Cleveland, Ohio and runs through Thursday, October 27th. The tour includes performances in Louisiana, North Carolina, Idaho, Texas and a number of other cities. Audiences can see the band’s full tour schedule online now here. More information on the band’s tour, its upcoming Late Night performance, and all of its latest news is available online now at:

Early this past April St. Louis, Missouri-based metal outfit Conquest released its latest album Under The Influence. The forty-three-minute covers album presents eleven songs from some of the band members’ favorite bands. The songs themselves are, collectively, their own important part of the record’s presentation. That will be discussed shortly. They are not the album’s only key element. The band’s take on the featured songs is just as important to note in this record’s presentation as the songs themselves. That will be discussed later. The album’s overall sequencing rounds out the record’s most important elements. Each element is important in its own right to the album’s whole. Altogether all three elements Under The Influence a covers album that any rock fan should hear at least once. This applies regardless of audiences’ familiarity with Conquest’s body of work.

Covers albums are a dime a dozen nowadays in the music industry. Nine times out of ten, they are space fillers used between new albums to tide over fans and fulfill contractual obligations for record labels. Even worse, said albums are commonly thrown together rather haphazardly, much like all of the “hits” albums that are out there. The end result in both cases are albums (if one even wants to call them albums—note the sarcasm) that are anything but memorable or even worth having in one’s personal music collection. Enter Under The Influence, the new covers collection from St. Louis, Missouri’s hard rock outfit Conquest. Unlike all of the covers (and “hits”—technically singles) collections out there on the market today this eleven-song compilation record is one that every rock fan should head at least once. This applies regardless of audiences’ familiarity with Conquest and its body of work. The record’s featured covers are in themselves just one of the elements that make this record worth hearing. That is the case because the songs don’t just come from one of rock’s many sub-genres or another. Rather it crosses those genres from beginning to end. It also spans rock’s rich modern history with its presented songs. It all kicks off with a pair of Judas Priest covers in the form of ‘Metal Gods’ and ‘The Ripper.’ That pair of songs is followed by a cover of Iron Maiden’s beloved ‘Wraith Child.’ The band gets even heavier from there with its own take on Metallica’s ‘For Whom The Bell Tolls.’ Things change even more dramatically in the band’s next offering, a cover of Motorhead’s ‘Ace of Spades.’ This one comes at just the right moment, too, as it is essentially the album’s midway point. It isn’t even the album’s most interesting of the record’s inclusions either. The album’s second half features covers of songs from Bon Jovi, Anthrax, Pantera, Black Sabbath, Motley Crue, and even UFO. To say that that is a broad swath of bands (and songs) would be an understatement. Simply put, the eleven songs (and bands) that are featured in this covers collection is extremely wide. The songs are just as diverse in their stylistic approaches as the bands are within their own rock sub-genres. Keeping that in mind, it becomes clear as to why the songs featured in this record are so important to its presentation. They don’t subject listeners to just one style of rock. Rather, they cover so many different styles from so many ages of rock’s rich history. They make up just one of the record’s most important elements. The band’s take on each of the featured songs is just as important to note here as the songs themselves.

The songs (and bands) that are featured in Conquest’s new covers collection are collectively their own important part of the record’s presentation. That is because they lift liberally from rock’s rich modern history. The songs present a wide range of bands and rock styles from beginning to end. That is just one part of what makes this record a rare covers collection that is actually worth hearing. The band’s actual performance of the record’s featured songs is just as important as the songs themselves. The band’s take on Metallica’s ‘For Whom The Bell Tolls’ is one of the band’s best performances in this record. If one were to hear this take on the classic heavy metal tune without knowing it was Conquest, one would actually think that it was Metallica. The band performed the song verbatim both lyrically and stylistically. And front man Derrick Brumley may not sound just like James Hetfield circa 1984. But listeners will be surprised at the similarity in the sound of the singers’ vocals. The band’s take on ‘Ace of Spades’ is just as impressive. One could argue in fact, that Conquest’s take on the classic rock anthem is just as good as Motorhead’s original recording. It doesn’t bear the grittier, garage rock sound presented in Motorhead’s original composition. But even with that taken into consideration it still pays honor stylistically to the original right down to the song’s familiar up-tempo bass line (handled here by bassist Rob Boyer). One of the song’s biggest surprises is Brumley’s vocal delivery. It’s not certain as to whether or not Brumley set out to emulate Lemmy Kilmister in this cover. But interestingly enough listeners will note that there is a certain element of that gritty sound made so familiar by the late rock legend in Brumley’s own vocal delivery here. It is a nice touch to the, and especially so if Brumley did not set out to try to sound like Kilmister. The band’s take on UFO’s ‘Lights Out In London’ is another example of the importance of the band’s performances in this record. It could actually be argued here that Conquest’s cover is even better than the original. That is thanks to the bombastic guitar solos, Bruley’s powerhouse vocal delivery, and Tim Fleetwood’s equally solid work behind the kit. Of course Boyer’s work on the bass here shouldn’t be ignored either. The whole of the band’s work here makes the band’s take on the song a song that will have make every rocker out there proud. It is just one more example of what makes the band’s performance of each of the record’s featured songs is just as important as the songs themselves. They are hardly the record’s only key examples of that importance. Audiences will take just as much notice of the band’s take on ‘Dead Or Alive’ ‘Wraithchild’ and ‘Cowboys From Hell.’ The prior pair of covers is much more bombastic here in the case of the original songs. ‘Cowboys From Hell’ on the other hand is a relatively close take on the original. All three will hold listeners’ ears and have them talking afterward just as much as the other noted covers and those covers not noted here. All in all, the band’s take on each of the songs featured proves just as pivotal to the record’s presentation as the songs themselves. They are not the record’s only important elements, though. The album’s sequencing is just as important to its presentation as the songs and their performances.

The songs that are featured in Conquest’s new covers collection and the band’s take on each song are equally important to the album’s presentation. The songs are so important to note because of the broad range of influences presented throughout the record’s forty-three minute run time. The band’s performance of the songs is just as important to note as the songs themselves because of the similarities and differences between the originals and the band’s updated take on each song. Those similarities and differences are certain to create their own share of interest and discussion among audiences. As important as each element proves to the record’s whole they are not its only key elements. The record’s sequencing is just as important to its presentation as those noted elements. Audiences that pay close attention to the record’s sequencing will note that for the most part the record maintains a relatively solid energy level from beginning to end. Though, the energy does pick up just enough at given points, so as to maintain listeners’ engagement. It picks up first just past the record’s halfway point in the form of Motorhead’s ‘Ace of Spades’ before puling back just a little bit as the record transitions into its second half. As the album nears its end the band picks things up once more in the covers of ‘Red Hot’ and ‘Cowboys From Hell’ before finishing off with the slightly slower (slightly at best) but no less heavy ‘Children of the Grave.’ Simply put, the band has balanced the record’s energy and even its varied musical styles from beginning to end thanks to its expert sequencing. This ensures listeners’ maintained engagement, and in turn, entertainment. Keeping this in mind, the record’s sequencing shows in the end why it is just as important to its presentation as its songs and performances thereof. Each element is important in its own way to the whole of the record. All things considered, Under The Influence shows in the end to be a rarity of a covers album. It doesn’t come across as just some contractually obligated space filler. Rather it proves to be a collection of classic rock songs that Conquest’s fans will enjoy just as much as those of the bands featured throughout the record. It is a record that succeeds at presenting a solid introduction to rock’s rich modern history all while entertaining rock fans of all ages. It is a covers collection that is actually worth hearing at least once regardless of audiences’ familiarity with Conquest or its body of work.

Conquest’s latest studio recording Under The Influence is a record that every rock fan should hear at least once. This applies regardless of listeners’ familiarity with the band or its body of work. That is because it isn’t just a random, contractually obligated space filler record. Its eleven songs present a solid introduction to rocks rich modern history. That is thanks to the broad array of bands and songs that is presented here. The band’s performance of each song is just as important to the record’s presentation as the songs themselves. That is because they present new and familiar takes on the classic songs; takes that will keep listeners engaged and generate their own share of discussion among audiences. The album’s sequencing rounds out its presentation. Over the course of its forty-three minutes, the records sequencing expertly balances the record’s energy from beginning to end. This ensures just as much listeners’ engagement. Each element plays its own important part in the record’s presentation. Altogether they make Under The Influence a record that very rock fan should hear at least once regardless of one’s familiarity with Conquest or its body of work. It is available now in stores and online. It can be ordered online direct via Dark Star Records’ online store. More information on this and other titles from Conquest is available online now at:

Organizers with the 2016 Ozzfest Meets Knotfest have added another band to the mega-festival’s lineup.

Veteran hard rock band Suicidal Tendencies has been added to the lineup for the inaugural Ozzfest Meets Knotfest. It marks the first time that the band has ever taken the stage at Ozzfest in any capacity. The band will take the place of Children of Bodom, which was originally scheduled to perform on the first day of the double-header festival. The updated lineup for the festival is noted below. Audiences will note that there is even a stage dedicated to late Motorhead front man Lemmy Kilmister at this year’s festival.

Ozzfest Meets Knotfest is currently scheduled to be held Saturday, September 24th and Sunday, September 25th at San Manuel Amphitheater and Festival Grounds in San Bernardino California. As a special holiday celebration, fans can purchase single 4-day ticket packs for $84. The limited-time special is going on now and ends July 4th at 11:59pm PT. Tickets can be purchased online at http://www.ozzfest.com and http://www.knotfest.com. More information on the inaugural Ozzfest Meets Knotfest is available online at:

AEG Live is bringing another new music festival to audiences in the northeast.

This fall, AEG Live will debut the new music festival, the Revolution Rock Festival. The festival, fueled by Monster Energy, will be held Saturday, September 17th outdoors at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, CT. And Phil’s Picks is giving YOU the readers the chance to win a pair of tickets to the one-day festival. All you have to do is message Phil’s Picks at http://www.facebook.com/philspicks, telling me who your favorite band on the bill is and favorite song from that band. On Friday, August 5th I will pull the lucky winner’s name. From there, the winner’s name will be sent to my contact, who will then put the winner’s name in him/her. Entrants should be reminded that this does not include travel, hotel, or food. This is only for admission to the festival. The lineup for the inaugural festival includes: Avenged Sevenfold, Slayer, Volbeat, Chevelle, Of Mice & Men, Anthrax, Ghost, Killswitch Engage, Sevendust, The Amity Affliction, KYNG, Nothing More, Twelve Foot Ninja, Crobot, and Devour The Day.

General admission tickets for the Revolution Rock Festival are currently $59.50 each (plus fees). That puts the retail value of these two tickets at well over $100. After fees, the cost reaches close to $150 just for two. Considering that price, getting to see the festival for free is a big prize for two lucky people. For everyone else, tickets can be purchased online at http://www.RevolutionRockFestival.com. Revolution Rock Festival is produced by AEG Live, which also produces Rock on the Range, Monster Energy Carolina Rebellion Festival, Rocklahoma and many more. More information on the Revolution Rock Festival is available online now at:

AEG Live is bringing another new music festival to audiences in the northeast.

This fall, AEG Live will debut the new music festival, the Revolution Rock Festival. The festival, fueled by Monster Energy, will be held Saturday, September 17th outdoors at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, CT. The lineup for the inaugural festival includes: Avenged Sevenfold, Slayer, Volbeat, Chevelle, Of Mice & Men, Anthrax, Ghost, Killswitch Engage, Sevendust, The Amity Affliction, KYNG, Nothing More, Twelve Foot Ninja, Crobot, and Devour The Day. Joe Litvag is Executive Producer of the Revolution Rock Festival for AEG Live. He discussed the work and planning put in to make the festival a reality in a recent interview, and the hopes for the festival’s future. “We’ve spent the better part of two years searching for the perfect location to create a festival that is just for the rabid rock fans of New England,” he said. “After seeing the incredible property and amenities offered at Foxwoods Resort Casino, I knew we had finally found a home. It’s really easy to get to from just about anywhere in the region, and the fans can make a whole weekend out of it with a top-notch resort, golf, spa, shopping, great restaurants, and of course the gaming. Our hope is that Revolution Rock Festival will become an institution for rock fans of the Northeast and will be thought of as ‘New England’s rock festival’ for years to come!”

Foxwoods President and CEO Felix Rappaport echoed Litvag’s sentiment in a statement regarding the new partnership between AEG Live and Foxwoods Resort Casino. “We are thrilled to be partnering with entertainment powerhouse AEG Live to bring the Revolution Rock Festival to Mashantucket and Foxwoods Resort Casino,” he said. “Foxwoods has been at the forefront of entertainment since we opened in 1992, and events like this festival will continue to make Foxwoods the market leader.”

Specially priced pre-sale tickets go on sale this Wednesday, June 8th at 10am EDT. The pre-sale will run through this Friday, June 10th at 9:59am EDT. They can be purchased online at http://www.RevolutionRockFestival.com. Organizers have made a password for the special pre-sale available online only through the festival’s social media pages. The public on-sale for tickets begins Friday, June 10th at 10am EDT. Pricing for both pre-sale and public sale tickets is noted in full below.

Presale ticket prices are as follows (plus fees):

General Admission: $59.50

General Admission Ticket 4-Pack: $198.00

At the general onsale, tickets will be priced as follows:

General Admission: $79.50

General Admission Ticket 4-Pack: $269.50

A very limited number of Foxwoods Resort Casino VIP Hotel packages for two and four individuals will be available online with regular admission tickets. They will include: VIP Lounge Access, hotel stay for Friday and Saturday night, and a $25 merchandise voucher for each individual. More information on the VIP packages is available online at http://www.RevolutionRockFestival.com. An equally limited number of discounted ticket 4-packs will be available for active military personnel through the festival’s partner GovX.

Revolution Rock Festival is produced by AEG Live, which also produces Rock on the Range, Monster Energy Carolina Rebellion Festival, Rocklahoma and many more. More information on the Revolution Rock Festival is available online now at:

A rolling discounted Early Bird pre-sale for Weekend General Admission tickets begins this Tuesday, May 17th at 12pm CDT/1pm EDT. A very limited quantity of tickets will be available during this pre-sale. They can be purchased online at http://www.HoustonOpenAir.com and will only be available while supplies last. Their prices are noted below.

Early Bird #1: $89.50

Early Bird #2: $99.50

VIP weekend tickets will also be available at a cost of $234.50.

Public on-sale tickets will go on sale Friday, May 20th at 12pm CDT/1pm EDT. They will also be available for purchase online at http://www.HoustonOpenAir.com. Their prices are listed below.

A portion of all proceeds from ticket sales for the festival will go toward aiding the Greater Houston Storm Relief Fund. The Greater Houston Storm Relief Fund was established by Houston’s mayor Sylvester Turner in order to accept donations for flood relief in the Houston community. This includes aiding victims of the flooding that stemmed from recent storms that hit the region. More information on The Greater Houston Storm Relief Fund is available online at http://www.houstonrecovers.org. Danny Hayes, CEO of Danny Wimmer Presents, spoke with the media recently. He discussed the timing of the festival’s announcement in relation to the city’s recovery from said storms as well as the motivation for teaming with Mayor Turner in his recovery efforts. “Houston Open Air has been in the works for almost a year now,” he said. It’s awkward to announce a major music festival in a city that has experienced such recent hardship and, in fact, we delayed our announcements out of respect for what Houston has endured. But at the same time, our festivals are about highlighting the strengths (or sometimes the needs) of our host city. There’s no more important way to do that right now than to support Mayor Turner’s efforts to help Houston recover from this spring’s flooding and we will be incorporating this message throughout our launch campaign.”

Danny Wimmer is the founder of Danny Wimmer Presents. He shared his thoughts on the logistics of the concert’s location, its lineup, and more in his discussion with the press. “Houston is one of the country’s biggest rock markets and, when combined with the impressive food scene happening here, it’s a natural location for a DWP festival,” he said. “We’re thrilled to have such a diverse first-year lineup that includes Avenged Sevenfold, Alice In Chains and Chevelle. With the inclusion of an incredible food experience and the Jack Daniel’s Whiskey Row, we are kicking off a powerhouse experience that will live in the market for many years to come!”

The Houston Open Air Festival’s band lineup is just part of what audiences have to look forward to this year. There will also be a special food and drink experience for fans who attend. This includes the Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7 Whiskey Row and a massive Gourmet Man Food Experience The brands featured in the Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7 Whiskey Row include: Jack Daniel’s Black Label, Gentleman Jack, Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey, Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Fire, Old Forester, and Woodford Reserve. The complete lineup and menus for the Gourmet Man Food experience will be announced soon.

The Monster Energy Rock Allegiance Festival is returning to Pennsylvania this summer. It will take place Saturday, September 17th and Sunday, September 18th at Talen Energy Stadium (formerly PPL Park), home of Major League Soccer’s Philadelphia Union, in Chester, PA, which is just outside of Philadelphia. It will feature a lineup of more than 35 bands. That lineup includes but is not limited to: Avenged Sevenfold, Alice In Chains, Slayer, The Offspring, Breaking Benjamin, Volbeat, Chevelle, The Cult, The Pretty Reckless, Pierce The Veil, Of Mice & Men, Ghost, Anthrax, Killswitch Engage, Chevy Metal, Baroness, Hellyeah, Sevendust, Motionless In White, Buckcherry, Trivium, Avatar, Max & Iggor Cavalera Return To Roots, Jim Breuer and the Loud & Rowdy, Sick Puppies, The Amity Affliction, letlive., Neck Deep, Skindred, KYNG, Young Guns, Crobot, Devour The Day, Twelve Foot Ninja, Dinosaur Pile Up, Death Angel and Hundredth.

A rolling discounted Early Bird on-sale for weekend General Admission tickets and VIP passes starts this Tuesday, May 10th at 12pm EDT and runs through Friday, May 13th at 10am EDT. Early Bird tickets and VIP passes will be available in a very limited quantity. The prices for each is noted below.

Zippo 2-packs will also be available at a price of $550. They include 2-VIP weekend passes and 2 commemorative Zippos. Single-day admission and general weekend packages will go on full sale along with VIP packages beginning May 13th at 10am EDT. Prices will increase in the weeks leading up to the festival. Current prices are listed below.

GA Weekend: $129 floor, $99 stands

GA 4-Packs: $308

VIP Weekend: $219

VIP 2-Packs: $550

Single Day GA (stands): $44.50

Single Day VIP: $119.50

VIP packages for the festival include: Stadium-level VIP main stage viewing, floor-level VIP viewing area for the west main stage, dedicated entrance lanes into the festival, VIP area with shade and picnic tables, VIP restrooms, special food and beverage offerings (for additional purchase), and a commemorative VIP laminate.

The music is just one part of the experience that audiences will be able to enjoy at this year’s festival. Along with lots of great music there will also be loads of great food and drink, too. There will loads of dishes offered by some of Philadelphia’s eateries in the Gourmet Man Food experience. There will also be plenty of brews offered by breweries from across America. The culinary lineup for the Gourmet Man Food Experience currently features: Braz-B-Q, Chickie & Pete’s, The Cow & The Curd, Dos Hermanos, Dump ’n’ Roll, M.A.T.T.’s Gourmet Sliders, Mama’s Meatballs, Seoulfull Philly, Sum Pig and The Tot Cart. The breweries that will be at the festival include: Evolution Craft Brewing Co (Salisbury, MD), Fordham & Dominion Brewing Company (Dover, DE), New Belgium Brewing (Fort Collins, CO), Starr Hill Brewery (Crozet, VA), Tröegs Independent Brewing (Hershey, PA) and Victory Brewing Company (Downington, PA).

Danny Wimmer, head of Danny Wimmer Presents, recently discussed the festival’s return with the media. He discussed not only the festival’s return but its expansion to two days this year and expectations in general for this year’s event. “When we came to Philadelphia last year, we knew there was a demand for this kind of festival in the market, but the response exceeded our expectations,” he said. Growing to two days in our second year was an obvious decision, and we’re looking forward to giving fans an even better experience in 2016.”

Geoff Gordon is President of Live Nation Philadelphia. He echoed Wimmer’s sentiments in his thoughts on the festival’s return. “Last year’s Monster Energy Rock Allegiance was a huge success on so many levels,” he said. “We were proud to bring this venue their first ever concert; a record-setting, sold out smash hit. The audience had such a great time enjoying a unique experience of music and lifestyle — we knew in 2016 we could turn it up a notch!”

The Monster Energy Rock Allegiance Festival is presented by Danny Wimmer Presents, Live Nation, and Spectra at Talen Energy Stadium. It is sponsored by: Jack Daniel’s, Zippo Encore, The Music Experience, Take Me Home, and Fxck Cancer/Dyin2Live, with more to be announced. More information on the 2016 Monster Energy Rock Allegiance Festival is available online now at: